Yahoo Autos 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 Road Test | Quick cute cube
The Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class is precisely what Mercedes and the market needs right now. It’s a cute and eminently useful little crossover for the right price with a luxurious three-pointed star on it. So, what does Mercedes do to improve the formula? Let AMG have a go at it, of course.
Mercedes didn’t bust out of the gates, as its first attempts at affordable front-drive-based cars in America with the original CLA and GLA were a bit underdone. The next round of “cheap” Mercedes vehicles are far better with an expanded field of winners. There are some we like more than others, though, and we can count this AMG GLB 35 as one of them.
Just like the GLA- and CLA-Classes, the GLB offers a standard 250 variant. It does not, however, offer their totally bonkers 382-horsepower AMG 45 variant. Instead, their medium spice is the GLB's top specification, including a 302-hp 2.0-liter turbo that's still plenty of fun being a hooligan with. All the other performance goodies added onto the 35 over the standard GLB are nothing to sneeze at either. Its setup is essentially the same as the GLA 35 that Senior Editor James Riswick likened to an extra-tall hot hatch.
The chassis is worked over with AMG-specific steering knuckles, control arms and rear subframe. It comes with AMG’s electronically-controlled adaptive dampers. An AMG-specific all-wheel drive system is fitted that maxes out at 50:50 torque distribution. A variable-ratio steering rack aids handling, and larger brakes are fitted at all four corners with the expected AMG branding on the calipers. It even has the wide range of AMG drive modes to choose from, and you can affordably option the convenient steering wheel-mounted quick toggle buttons, too.
Basically, don’t underestimate this AMG product just because it’s a 35 and not a full-fat 45. There was serious effort paid to make this little crossover fun to drive. That attention to detail is seen on the exterior, too.
The GLB already looked good in 250 form, but it doubly excels in AMG 35 guise. It adds the big radiator grille in front, a bigger splitter, roof spoiler, different rear bumper, sporty dual exhaust and one of many different wheel options. Our tester had the 19-inch matte black 10-spoke AMG wheels — they’re rather strange with the extra inner rim, but make up your own mind. Their reasonably small size certainly helps the ride comfort versus the optional 21s, but it’s hard to argue with how good the 21-inch wheels make the GLB 35 appear.
The important takeaway here is that the GLB 35 has looks to kill. BMW’s X2 M35i does reasonably compete from an aesthetic point of view, but the GLB’s utility makes it the better design as a whole (more on that later). And if boxy isn't your thing, the GLA 35 is lying in wait.
Driving the GLB 35 is wildly fun, too. Just like the other AMG 35s, this car is “on” from the second you pop it into Drive. The snappy and quick eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission cracks off upshifts with a pop that accentuates and underlines every shift. It makes you want to drive around in manual mode the whole time, tapping away at the paddles to hear all the crackles on the overrun. Even if the GLB 35 doesn’t have its eyes set on fast lap times like some more focused AMG products do, the level of drama and added theater encourages a heavy right foot.
